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BELMONT -- The Buckeye Local football team has faced a brutal schedule so far this season, and unfortunately for the Panthers, the road ahead does not get any easier.
Buckeye Local was not able to slow down Martins Ferry last week as the Purple Riders produced 49 points in the first half en route to a 49-7 victory against the Panthers via mercy rule last Friday night down at World War II Memorial Stadium.
"We were able to move the ball pretty well on offense," first-year Buckeye Local (0-7) head coach Hayden Daley said. "We controlled the clock. The problem was we were not able to stop them. Martins Ferry only ran 15 offensive plays in the first half, but they scored 49 points. We knew they were capable of scoring a lot with all of their talent on that side of the ball. We just could not stop them."
Buckeye Local is set for another tough test this week as it takes on Buckeye 8 rival Union Local at 7 p.m. Friday night on the road.
The Jets are 6-1 on the season with the team's lone loss coming at the hands of the Purple Riders.
Union Local rolled to a 55-7 victory against winless Cambridge via mercy rule last week at home.
Buckeye Local had difficulty last week handling Martins Ferry's athleticism. This week, the Jets prevent a different problem as Union Local plays a physical brand of football.
"It is very clear what the want to do," Daley said. "(Brody) Perzanowski is closing in on the all-time OVAC rushing record. He has been doing this for a few years. He plays both sides of the ball. He is always around the ball. It doesn't matter if he is running the ball, catching the ball or making a tackle. He is a great football player."
Perzanowski is not Union Local's lone threat on offense.
"They can throw the ball and keep you honest," Daley said. "They can get the ball to their receivers in space as well."
Union Local opened the season with five-straight wins before falling to Martins Ferry in Week 6 on the road.
"We have seen film on them from two games," Daley said. "We saw them against Martins Ferry. In that game, they loaded the box to try and stop the run. We were also able to see them against Cambridge. Cambridge is more of a spread team. They have a base front four with two high safeties. They run like a Cover 4."
The Jets shut out the Panthers, 42-0, last season on the road.
"We want to build off what we were able to do Friday night," Daley said. "We were able to spread the ball around to different receivers. We were able to get Martins Ferry into a three-man front. When they did that, we had some success running the football. We want to continue to do that."